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Call it a comeback

Zvereva nets Eastbourne crown with late surge

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Posted: Saturday June 19, 1999 12:49 PM

Zvereva waited nine games before pouring it on to beat Nathalie Tauziat 0-6, 7-5, 6-3 for the Eastbourne grass-court championship. AP

EASTBOURNE, England (AP) -- Natasha Zvereva lost the first nine games before scoring a 0-6, 7-5, 6-3 win over Nathalie Tauziat on Saturday to win the Eastbourne grass-court championship.

It was the first title since 1994 for the sixth seed from Belarus.

In the semifinals she had staged another comeback, saving three match points against Amanda Coetzer in the longest match on the WTA Tour this season while Tauziat came back from 5-1 down in the third to beat Anna Kournikova.

"I hadn't restored my energy from yesterday, and the conditions were extremely windy," Zvereva said. "And she was coping very well at the beginning and basically serving me off of the court.

"It wasn't pleasant being beaten 6-0, 3-0, but I thought I'd hit the ball as hard as I could and try and come in more. She gave me an opening, and I was just able to win more points."

Tauziat admitted the defeat was one of the most disappointing of her career after she had come close to regaining the title she won in 1995. It was also her second defeat in a final in seven days after she lost in Birmingham last Sunday.

 

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